WHAT’S WRONG WITH ENGLAND ?

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1930, Page 7

WHAT’S WRONG WITH ENGLAND ?

INTERVIEW' IN NEW YORK

SAN FRANCISCO, January 25. British politics are in an unsatisfactory condition, according to Lord Kothermerc, who paid a short visit to .New York and in the course of an interview unburdened himself, stating that the Conservative and Labour parties in Britain are “tarred with the same stick.” They are “dull, incompetent and hidebound,’’ and lack for-ward-looking leadership, he said. The great need of Great Britain in her industrial and unemployment crisis, he believes, is a vigorous leader, prepared to adopt new methods 'for tackling modern problems. ’The mail he selects for the job is his Canadian-, born newspaper rival, Lord Beaverbrook.

Labour's chief trouble, Lord Eothermere finds, is the tendency to believe everything can lie accomplished bv instituting new State services and increasing taxation. They fail to realise that in so doing they are already crippling British industry. At present, he pointed out, the per capital taxation in Great Britain is something like thirteen pounds sterling, while in the United States it is only about seven pounds. “The Conservatives” lie said, “made the fatal mistake of trying to be more socialistic than the Socialists.” What should have been done after the war was to cut expenditure and taxaion to a minimum and at the same time bolster up British industry with a protective tariff. Instead of this, the Conservatives under former-pre-mier Baldwin brought in the Widows’ Pension Act and other legislation, which vastly increased the liability of the taxpayers, While expressing admiration for the leaders of the Labour party, Premier MacDonald, lit. Hon. Philip Snowden, i hancellor of the Exchequer, and 'tliers, he pointed out these men were always in danger of being forced into unwise action by the extremists in their party. The extension of the franchise to the “flappers” was a fatal mistake on he part of the Conservatives, he said. He, himself, warned Mi’ Baldwin it would turn the last election against him and the prediction was fulfilled because Premier MacDonald had attributed his victory to the “flapper” vote.

Although lie is supporting Lord Boavcrhroolv tor the Premiership, Lord Rothormere does not endorse the later’s tariff policy in its entirety. He stops at taxes on agricultural prolucts and is certain the British electorates would not tolerate anything likely to increase the cost of food, h other more, he considers the Empire free trade policy a complement to his nvn, the fulfilment of which is the immediate necessity. It will he time enough to think of the Empire as a whole when British industry is made healthy, he stated. He proposes a protective tariff on all manufactured goods with certain limited exceptions. Manufactured food oroduets would 'he taxed, but for the Vmefit of Canada, flour would be admitted free; hut Scandinavian news■mint would be taxed. .

His Lordship wanted to know if Lord Beaver'>rook’s views were arons- '»£ interest in Canada. He was also interested in the stock market situation in New York and was surprised to learn of unemployment in the United States. He expressed the opinion that the gambling tendency had become so deep-rooted in the United States it would soon result in another popular Participation in the market. This was ■i. good thing, he maintained, even if money were lost at times because it assured ready funds for new developments. “What is wrong with England,” he said, “is that you cannot get money for any new enterprise. You would canvass the country in vain if you attempted to raise a million pounds to finance a new industry, Tf the people of this country ever become bond-buyers exclusively, and stop buying common stocks, prosperity will soon cease.” MAKING TEETH FOR MUSICIANS. It is stated that “a man who plays a brass instrument has to have enormously strong teeth on account of the great pressure on them while playing.”

Every first-class brass instrument player will agree that such a statement can only apply to very moderate performers. A really correct method of sound production on ony brass instrument is based on a light lip pressure, even as regards the highest register. The celebrated trumpeter, Mr Johannes Valle, late of the Halle Orchestra, used to exemplify this by suspending a trumpet on two threads. He could produce the high O, I) (harmonic), and even E flat in alt without touching the instrument with lxis hands.